The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-07-02
STORY TOLD BY A HEN.
Wonderful Eggs. and How They Helped to
GaiaI,ra Ia tl,a Enurfl,


Celebrate tho Fourth.
The only time was really free from
nil care was when was an egg. That
was because l did not know much.
But must say, though I'm not bit
proud or stuck up, that it was greatly
to my credit that decided to be a
Plymouth Rock, when 1 might have
been a common, everyday sort of barn
yard fowl, or even horrid, vulgar tur-
key, or, worse than all, a ridiculous
goose An egg can not be too careful
about such matters. If breed isn't
every thing, it is q good deal
1t was wonderful day, I can tell
you. when opened first window,
and then door, in my shell, and
stepped out. had no idea there was
SO much to see, but since then L have
travelled extensively; if 1 haven't seen
every thing, 1 have seen most every
thing.
Before I go any further want to tell
| you that, of all the funny things in
Henland, the funniest of all is boy
and the most dreadful. l don't know
what boys were made for, but l sup
pose there must be some reason for it.
There are some good points about
them, though; I'll admit this, because
l would not Intentionally do injustice
even to a boy. For instance, when they
feed us, as they sometimes do-when
they don't forget it. But believe they
would rather "peg" stones and things
at us, for they very rarely forgot to do
that--whcn there is no one watching
them. ..
The most exciting adventure of my
life was with a boy, and that was what
Started to tell you about. His name
was Fritz-what ridiculous names boys
do have! but one becomes used to that
after awhile-and he lives in the large
white hen-house, with green blinds,
which is only short walk from my
own cozy coop.
One day Fritz and his father were
visiting my coop. 1t seems odd that
such big things as boys should have
bigger things that are their fathers;
but the boys know the most-I found
that out by hearing Fritz say so. Boys
and their fathers say such queer things,
too! On the day l speak of Fritz said:
"Pa, l haven't got single cent for
the Fourth. Won't you please let me
have couple of dollars to buy fire.
works and snap-crackersp"
"That's too much to waste on noise
and burnt fingers said his father
"Then gimme dollar, won't you,
please?"
mo, but I'll tell you what will do.
You may have all the eggs Madam
Mayflower"-that's my name-"lays
from now until the Fourth. She's good
for an egg day, and the money you'll
get for what she will lay in six weeks
will make disturbance enough"
"All right, pa" said Fritz. ~ know
her eggs, and I'll see that none of them
get away"
My eggs, if do say it, are not hard
to distinguish from common eggs
they are so much larger, smoother
and whittier, and more stylish in every
way.
After Fritz's father had gone, Fritz
said to me:
"Now, old Mayblossom, You just
want to go in for all you're worth. An
egg day is the contract, and you'll
keep it, too, if there is a spark of pa
triotism in your speckled breast, for
all my Fourth of July fun must come
out of you. See here, MADAME"
With that he took a round, red thing
out of his pocket, and little stick of
wood that made funny noise, and,
after holding them together minute,
he threw the round, red thing down in
front of me.
"There!' he said. "You've got to
hatch out my fire-crackers, and there's
sample copy for you to work by!''
didn't understand at all what he
meant. l thought twas new kind of
red worm, and Twas just about to get
good taste of it when-sizgle Bang!
it went, making the awfulest noise
you ever heard. l was stunned and
blinded for moment, and thought l
would never hear or see again. Then
gave Il cry and flew up on the fence.
Fritz just stood there and laughed at
my fright, till l thought he, too. would
burst up in n noise and small pieces
like the red worm that he called fire.
cracker. After he had got so he could
speak again, and rs he was going off,
he said:
"Just remember that every egg you
lay, Dame Partlett, will have q whole
bunch of iire-crackers like that in itp'
Perhaps you can imagine what
state of mind was in. Could it be
possible that my eggs would contain
such dreadful things as thatP But |
hal to lay, and take the chances, al
though for the first few days l cut and
run the instant the egg was in the nest,
for fear something dreadful would hap
pen. Fritz was near by every time,
and he grabbed the egg and ran off
with 1t as soon rs ever left it. Posi-
bly, he. too, was afraid fire-crackers
would come out of the eggs before he
could get them to his hen-houso with
the green blinds.
After awhile, when found that
nothing unusual happened to my eggs,
! felt it was my duty to raise family
of chickens. If there is any thing
sweeter and dearer than nestful of
baby chickens, don't know where
l ~ a. AAl q